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THE BLACK MARBLE

The gross-funny-ugly L.A. Police Dept. jungle gym that was Wambaugh's Choirboys is just background this time—terrific background for two so-so stories: the grisly kidnapping of a dog-show champion by an off-the-wall dog trainer; the predictably offbeat hate-then-love affair between an all-at-sea detective on the way down and an all-together woman detective on the way up. The two stories will eventually mesh, but for a while they alternate with teasing efficiency—first introducing impoverished Pasadena divorcee Madeline Dills Whitfield, obsessive, love-starved owner of beloved schnauzer Victoria Regina; then the odd couple in the cop-car—sweetly spaced-out, vodka-soaked Valnikov ("the non-sequitur king of the whole goddam police department") and his appalled new partner Natalie Zimmerman; and, finally, supercreep dog-man Philo Skinner, overage stud manque, with dangerous gambling debts, a superfluous wife, and dreams of Puerto Vallarta. While Natalie desperately tries to convince the brass that Valnikov is a certifiable basket case, Philo manages to grab Vicky Regina at a dog-show and demands a ransom Madeline can't pay—which brings Sgt. Valnikov onto the case (and into Madeline's lonely bed). And by the time that Valnikov's solid, slogging detective work brings him face to face with Philo, a killer shepherd, and the mutilated schnauzer for a bloody, endless gouge-and-grapple, Natalie isn't so eager to see her "Andrushka" in a straitjacket. The Black Marble (that's what losers like Val and Philo always wind up with) should hive been better than it is: the police station running gags are too running to be real, the black-comic touches (like a pet funeral) prove again that Wambaugh ain't Waugh, and Andrushka and Natasha deserve better than a pure musical-comedy ending. But natural, strong, seductive storytellers aren't a dime a dozen, and Wambaugh's one of them—even while making a lot of mistakes as he reaches for a broader, less exclusively badges-and-guts audience.

Pub Date: Jan. 1, 1977

ISBN: 0440613965

Page Count: 416

Publisher: Delacorte

Review Posted Online: April 11, 2012

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1977

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IT ENDS WITH US

Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of...

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Hoover’s (November 9, 2015, etc.) latest tackles the difficult subject of domestic violence with romantic tenderness and emotional heft.

At first glance, the couple is edgy but cute: Lily Bloom runs a flower shop for people who hate flowers; Ryle Kincaid is a surgeon who says he never wants to get married or have kids. They meet on a rooftop in Boston on the night Ryle loses a patient and Lily attends her abusive father’s funeral. The provocative opening takes a dark turn when Lily receives a warning about Ryle’s intentions from his sister, who becomes Lily’s employee and close friend. Lily swears she’ll never end up in another abusive home, but when Ryle starts to show all the same warning signs that her mother ignored, Lily learns just how hard it is to say goodbye. When Ryle is not in the throes of a jealous rage, his redeeming qualities return, and Lily can justify his behavior: “I think we needed what happened on the stairwell to happen so that I would know his past and we’d be able to work on it together,” she tells herself. Lily marries Ryle hoping the good will outweigh the bad, and the mother-daughter dynamics evolve beautifully as Lily reflects on her childhood with fresh eyes. Diary entries fancifully addressed to TV host Ellen DeGeneres serve as flashbacks to Lily’s teenage years, when she met her first love, Atlas Corrigan, a homeless boy she found squatting in a neighbor’s house. When Atlas turns up in Boston, now a successful chef, he begs Lily to leave Ryle. Despite the better option right in front of her, an unexpected complication forces Lily to cut ties with Atlas, confront Ryle, and try to end the cycle of abuse before it’s too late. The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty, and the author’s note at the end that explains Hoover’s personal connection to the subject matter is a must-read.

Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of the survivors.

Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-5011-1036-8

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Atria

Review Posted Online: May 30, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016

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THE LAST LETTER

A thoughtful and pensive tale with intelligent characters and a satisfying romance.

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A promise to his best friend leads an Army serviceman to a family in need and a chance at true love in this novel.

Beckett Gentry is surprised when his Army buddy Ryan MacKenzie gives him a letter from Ryan’s sister, Ella. Abandoned by his mother, Beckett grew up in a series of foster homes. He is wary of attachments until he reads Ella’s letter. A single mother, Ella lives with her twins, Maisie and Colt, at Solitude, the resort she operates in Telluride, Colorado. They begin a correspondence, although Beckett can only identify himself by his call sign, Chaos. After Ryan’s death during a mission, Beckett travels to Telluride as his friend had requested. He bonds with the twins while falling deeply in love with Ella. Reluctant to reveal details of Ryan’s death and risk causing her pain, Beckett declines to disclose to Ella that he is Chaos. Maisie needs treatment for neuroblastoma, and Beckett formally adopts the twins as a sign of his commitment to support Ella and her children. He and Ella pursue a romance, but when an insurance investigator questions the adoption, Beckett is faced with revealing the truth about the letters and Ryan’s death, risking losing the family he loves. Yarros’ (Wilder, 2016, etc.) novel is a deeply felt and emotionally nuanced contemporary romance bolstered by well-drawn characters and strong, confident storytelling. Beckett and Ella are sympathetic protagonists whose past experiences leave them cautious when it comes to love. Beckett never knew the security of a stable home life. Ella impulsively married her high school boyfriend, but the marriage ended when he discovered she was pregnant. The author is especially adept at developing the characters through subtle but significant details, like Beckett’s aversion to swearing. Beckett and Ella’s romance unfolds slowly in chapters that alternate between their first-person viewpoints. The letters they exchanged are pivotal to their connection, and almost every chapter opens with one. Yarros’ writing is crisp and sharp, with passages that are poetic without being florid. For example, in a letter to Beckett, Ella writes of motherhood: “But I’m not the center of their universe. I’m more like their gravity.” While the love story is the book’s focus, the subplot involving Maisie’s illness is equally well-developed, and the link between Beckett and the twins is heartfelt and sincere.

A thoughtful and pensive tale with intelligent characters and a satisfying romance.

Pub Date: Feb. 26, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-64063-533-3

Page Count: 432

Publisher: Entangled: Amara

Review Posted Online: Jan. 2, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019

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